Instance-related and PLC-related information and actions within Instances view

The Instances →view provides:

Use this view on the one hand for PLC-related actions possible, such as to load the application onto the PLC, and on the other hand to learn which instances and variables are used in the application. Moreover, you can quickly go to the appropriate declaration and it is also possible to insert variables into Values of Variables view (there you can monitor the current values of variables on the →PLC).

A typical view onto PLC information, instances and variables:

images/download/attachments/431555995/InstancesViewEN-version-2-modificationdate-1567002272421-api-v2.png

The Instance view is visible when you open the →perspective Application Creating or Application Testing.
If Instances view is not visible in your application, you can add it to the current perspective: Select WindowShow ViewInstances.

Good to know

images/s/b2ic8e/9012/1ca6q62/_/images/icons/emoticons/lightbulb.svg Your used →target system might influence the usage of this view in logi.CAD 3 (see "Properties and restrictions specific to the target system").

images/s/b2ic8e/9012/1ca6q62/_/images/icons/emoticons/lightbulb.svg You might want to use the Object Browser view to find out whether and where an object (e.g. a →variable, a →POU) is used in the application and to browse to the declaration of this object.

images/s/b2ic8e/9012/1ca6q62/_/images/icons/emoticons/lightbulb.svg Depending on your logi.CAD 3 c onfiguration and the used target system, the Instances view might provide additional buttons (e.g. to pause/continue the application). Contact your system integrator, if you require information on such buttons/actions.

Components of Instances

Columns in view

The following columns are visible within Instances:

  • Column Object lists the elements.

  • Column Value provides the appertaining element.

  • Column Details provides the base type of the →derived data type.

If you do not need some items of information, you can hide the appropriate column:

  1. Click images/download/thumbnails/414778166/FBDVarDeclHideColumns-version-1-modificationdate-1534238365269-api-v2.png (right of the columns) and select the appropriate column in the list (Checked columns are visible. Unchecked columns are hidden.)

  2. If you require the items of information again, click images/download/thumbnails/414778166/FBDVarDeclHideColumns-version-1-modificationdate-1534238365269-api-v2.png again and select the appropriate column in the list.

It is possible to change the order of the columns as follows:

Point to the header of the column that you want to move. Then press and hold the primary mouse button, drag the column before or after a different column and release the primary mouse button.

Context menu and toolbar for view

Right-clicking on an element inside the view opens a context menu. Moreover, the view provides a toolbar with buttons. The context menu as well as the buttons allows you to perform actions. See the "Actions for view" for a list of possible actions.

Elements in view

The elements are grouped according to the PLC information or the instances and global variables. The instances are listed with the hierarchical levels (starting with the project). The value for instances or variables is the appertaining →data type.

Icon

Meaning

images/download/thumbnails/409862691/Project-version-1-modificationdate-1531214657657-api-v2.png

→project

images/download/thumbnails/414778708/Configuration-version-1-modificationdate-1534256685515-api-v2.png

→configuration (from within a PLC-object)

images/download/attachments/406126785/Resource-version-1-modificationdate-1530007752717-api-v22.png

IEC-resource (from within a PLC-object); see →resource
The displayed value is the fingerprint for the programming created in logi.CAD 3.
Compare the fingerprints displayed as values for the IEC-resource and for Code identification. If they are different, the version on the PLC differs from the one in logi.CAD 3.

Modifications outside the application make "Refreshing" necessary.

If you edit/create →resources outside of logi.CAD 3, refresh the view in the project explorer afterwards!
This triggers logi.CAD 3 to refresh the view of the resources and its children and the fingerprint for the application created in logi.CAD 3.
Alternative for refreshing: Open the edited/created resource in logi.CAD 3.

images/download/thumbnails/414778715/PLCInfo-version-1-modificationdate-1534256721582-api-v2.png

the following state information of the PLC, listed below of PLC Information:

  • connection state (e.g. Online)

  • details on connection (e.g. Connected to PLC or No connection to PLC)
    Moreover, this line gives some reference points, if a communication via →Gateway did not succeed. In case of a failed connection attempt via Gateway, one of the following texts is displayed: Gateway does not reach PLC or no application loaded, Gateway cannot be reached or No connection to Gateway

  • execution state (e.g. Running or Demo mode)

  • code identification
    The value is the →fingerprint for the application loaded onto the PLC.

  • information which user has loaded the application onto the PLC

  • information on the channel

  • information on the used runtime system on the PLC (type and version) as well as a recommendation which version should be used for the application

images/download/thumbnails/413893074/VarGlobal-version-1-modificationdate-1533808466516-api-v22.png

→global variable from within a PLC-object, listed below of Global Variables
Such global variables are resource-global or configuration-global variables (see "Declaring global variables for resource or configuration and using them").

images/download/thumbnails/414778740/ProgInstance-version-1-modificationdate-1534256819027-api-v2.png

instance of the →program (from within a PLC-object)
The instances and all following elements are listed below of Program Instances.

images/download/thumbnails/409862631/Instance-version-1-modificationdate-1531214366502-api-v22.jpg

instance of a →function block (e.g. from within an ST-object)

images/download/thumbnails/413893088/Var-version-1-modificationdate-1533812279373-api-v22.jpg

internal →variable

images/download/thumbnails/413893093/VarInput-version-1-modificationdate-1533812305462-api-v22.jpg

→input variable

images/download/thumbnails/413893098/VarOutput-version-1-modificationdate-1533812324909-api-v22.jpg

→output variable

images/download/thumbnails/414778214/VarInOut-version-1-modificationdate-1534239027388-api-v22.png

→in-out variable

images/download/thumbnails/413893074/VarGlobal-version-1-modificationdate-1533808466516-api-v22.png

→global variable
Such global variables are program-global variables (see "Declaration of global variables in ST").

images/download/thumbnails/413893103/VarExternal-version-1-modificationdate-1533812344791-api-v22.png

→external variable

images/download/thumbnails/414778154/VarUserDT-version-1-modificationdate-1534238223509-api-v2.png

variable with →user-defined data type

images/download/thumbnails/414778159/VarElement-version-1-modificationdate-1534238242521-api-v2.png

element from user-defined data type

images/download/thumbnails/414778720/VarRef-version-1-modificationdate-1534256740925-api-v2.png , images/download/thumbnails/414778725/VarRefIn-version-1-modificationdate-1534256762492-api-v2.png , images/download/thumbnails/414778730/VarRefOut-version-1-modificationdate-1534256780726-api-v2.png , images/download/thumbnails/414778735/VarRefUser-version-1-modificationdate-1534256798547-api-v2.png

→reference variable of the respective kind, e.g. images/download/thumbnails/414778725/VarRefIn-version-1-modificationdate-1534256762492-api-v2.png for reference input variable

images/download/thumbnails/460424000/Interface-version-2-modificationdate-1615456339911-api-v22.png

variable based on an interface

images/s/b2ic8e/9012/1ca6q62/_/images/icons/emoticons/warning.svg It is not possible to insert v ariables based on an →interface from the Instances view into the Values of Variables .

Displayed array elements

The display for an array variable in the Instances view is restricted to the base type. If you wish to insert array elements into the Values of Variables view in order to monitor its values, but these array elements are not provided in the Instance view, just drag the base type into the Values of Variables view and modify the inserted item (complete it by the requested array index).

Display for a variable with nesting/recursion due to "REF_TO"

The display for a variable with a nesting/recursion due to REF_TO in the Instances view is restricted to 50 levels. If you insert such a variable into the Values of Variables view, these displayed sub-elements will be inserted.

Possible execution states

The following execution states are possible for an application:

Execution state

Meaning

Running

This execution state is activated, when the PLC is started/restarted or the application is started. When this execution state has been activated, it is possible to change values within the Values of Variables view to write them to the PLC.
images/s/b2ic8e/9012/1ca6q62/_/images/icons/emoticons/information.svg When an application is loaded onto the PLC, there is an automatic restart of the PLC. Hence, this execution state is also activated, after the application is loaded.

Stopped

This execution state is activated, when you stop the execution of the application on the PLC.

Demo mode

This execution state informs that a runtime system version without an activated license is currently used. Demo mode is displayed instead of Running, i f the application runs on a PLC with a runtime system version without license .

License expired

This execution state informs that the demo mode has expired.
Without activated license, you can operate the runtime system as demo version only – as a full version for 3 hours after starting the runtime system . For a longer operation, it is recommended that you request and install a license.

Paused

This execution state is activated, when you pause the execution of the application on the PLC or execute a single cycle of the code execution on the PLC.
images/s/b2ic8e/9012/1ca6q62/_/images/icons/emoticons/information.svg This execution state is only possible, when the cycle stepping feature is enabled so that the Instances view provides e.g. the buttons for pausing the execution of an application and for executing a single cycle.

Unknown

The execution status could not be determined.
If this execution status is permanently displayed, contact logi.cals.

Running (operation)

These execution states are possible when using the →runtime system logi.µSRTS . They replace the execution state Running or complement the execution state Stopped respectively.
See the documentation on logi.µSRTS for details on the execution states that are relevant for logi.µSRTS .

Running (test)

Stopped (error)